


A Restaurant Not For Us

by Pongo0614



Series: Investigations [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode AU: s08e01 Deep Breath, Episode AU: s08e02 Into the Dalek, Episode AU: s08e04 Listen, F/M, Police AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-06-21 03:57:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 23,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15549090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pongo0614/pseuds/Pongo0614
Summary: A new set of missing people come to the Doctor and Clara's attention. All they have in common is that they made reservations at a recently opened restaurant, which isn't bad until Clara's boyfriend announces he has made a reservation there. [Book 2 of Investigations]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys. Remember me. Remember when I said that things would change. Well, they have. I am not longer working at the farm. So I have no idea how things are going to change even further but hopefully, this is just the start of things to come. But this should mean that hopefully, I will have the time to write and finally get this story finished and get it out to you. That is the plan anyway.
> 
> On with the story. This is a sequel to Open Wifi, Missing Students so if you haven't read that one yet please do. I don't know how much sense this will make without reading that one first.
> 
> Also, I kinda know how to fight. I have been studying karate for the last 8ish years, but it is kinda hard to write. I know what I wanted to write but I don't know whether it has come out the way that I wanted it to.

**Prologue**

Maybe there wasn't a wait for the next investigation but there was a wait for the events to happen. And maybe the Doctor is right. Not that I am going to tell him that. Maybe I am a control freak.

I have searched the previous books for ways to try and keep my normal life and my life with the Doctor separate and maybe only now I am finding out how hard that actually might be. It is possible though and I will try and make it work but I know it is going to be hard.

Also, a piece of advice. Try not to kill the Doctor. He will do things that will make you want to do that. Just believe me when I say, when he says he is on to something, he more than likely is on to something, it just might not be apparent until the end. If that made any sense what so ever.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Again." The Doctor said.

"I don't think that this is working," Clara said as she picked herself off of the floor and dusted herself off.

"It is important that you know how to defend yourself."

"At this rate, I am going to be taking over year seven for Taekwondo."

"That probably isn't a bad idea. Now again."

Clara sighed loudly before getting into position. The room went dark.

They had been at it for hours. The Doctor had a simulation that helped teach beginners how to fight if they had no previous experience. Clara had no such experience and, even if he was right, he insisted that she take the course. She had technically taken the course and more or less passed it. He was just running another simulation to prove that she had learnt it. Something that she was failing to do at the moment.

It wasn't long before the simulation started and the rather solid hologram ran at her. Clara knew what the likely outcome would be so quickly moved her left leg to spin on the ball of her right foot to spin out of the way. The hologram ran straight past her and turned to come back at her. This had given Clara a bit of a chance as she ducked to miss the first punch.

The previous simulation had taught her about key points to hit that someone could do damage, even if they were only small. Clara found herself moving to the side as she landed a punch to the spleen. The simulation started to curl around and she knew that she had done what she meant to do. It didn't mean that it was over with though. Clara pushed on the simulations head to make sure that the impact of her knee was used to its full extent. With the simulation now raising up, Clara placed one of her legs behind the hologram's and pushed against them, causing the simulation to fall to the floor.

She took a few steps back to make sure that it wasn't about to get up again before totally letting down her guard. She shrieked as the Doctor picked her up from behind.

"Always be aware. You never know who might be behind you." He said.

Clara tried to not feel comfortable in his arms. The more that they worked together, the more that she was sure that she was crushing on him. Usually, he wouldn't have anything to do with physical human contact. He said that he wasn't a hugger while Clara would love him to be a hugger. If she had to settle with being grabbed from behind as a way of having any physical contact with him, she would take it.

"Well, I hope that if it comes to it, we will be working as a team if we have to take on a group."

"I might not always be there." The Doctor said as he let her go.

Clara couldn't help but feel cold after he let her go. His personality might be cold but she was sure that he was one of the warmest people that she knew. He had allowed her to borrow his jacket when she felt cold when they were staking out this restaurant that he was certain was up to something. Clara had committed his smell to memory as well as being surprised at how quickly she warmed up.

"I think we should get something to eat."

The Doctor snorted. "We don't have time for food. We have a multiple missing persons case that has been given to me without any arguments."

"Other than you going into the commissioner's office and demanding for it," Clara muttered.

She knew that he had heard her but he wasn't going to comment. His mind was now on the case.

* * *

"Are you certain that it is this restaurant? It has literally only just opened." Clara asked.

The Doctor pointed at a picture. "Missing Person A. Seen entering the restaurant at 8:02pm to meet with her boyfriend. Boyfriend left at 9:35pm without her. He says that she went to the toilet and never came back. Missing Person B. Seen entering the restaurant on opening night. A first date so the date thought that he had just walked out because they weren't really getting on. Family haven't seen him since. Most recently, Missing Person C. We watched them walk into the restaurant at 6:38pm with her family and watched her family walk out without her."

"The commissioner thinks it is because you don't like the person running it."

"We have a link now."

"So originally it was out of spite."

"We have a link now." The Doctor repeated.

"Who is running it?"

"Sec Dalek."

"Who?"

"Sec Dalek. One of the four sons of Davros Dalek. The cult leader who believes that everything is above them. Basically, they are the English version of the mafia. Davros is the head of the family and organisation. They have many minions running around doing their dirty work for them. The sons were jailed for a period of time but they have obviously been released."

"And I guess them being back on the streets is a bad thing."

"Would be. But everyone thinks that they have changed. Sec was a good guy. Kept his nose clean. Caan, not so much. Thay and Jast just followed Sec, which was probably a good thing."

"So you have Davros, Sec, Caan, Thay and Jast Dalek. Please say that the mother was called something normal and had no input into the names."

"I never met her. She died not long after Thay and Jast were born."

"You don't think that they have changed."

The Doctor sighed. "I want to think that but they have promised to change so many times before. They are part of the family business. I don't think that they can change."

The disappoint was clear in the Doctor's voice and Clara knew better than to try and push it any further. If she wanted more information, she would have to ask K9 or Idris.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Clara hadn't missed the new teacher as she walked through the school. She had missed the morning meeting because she had overslept due to the Doctor wanting to do another stakeout. She was hoping that someone would introduce him to her and was glad that at lunchtime, someone did.

"Clara, you weren't here this morning. This is Danny Pink, the new maths teacher."

"Hi," Clara said, smiling widely at him. "Yeah, overslept again. I really should get a better alarm clock."

"So what do you teach?" Danny asked her as the other teacher sulked away.

"English. Are you the guy that is running the Coal Hill Cadets?"

"Yes, I am."

Clara found herself huffing, which probably didn't give Danny the best opinion on her. The problem was she had spent many a night, listening to the Doctor rant on about how bad soldiers were. She had kinda formed a slightly more biased opinion on soldier because of him. She knew that they were doing their bit of their country but she did have to agree with the Doctor when he says everything can be sorted by talking.

"Something wrong with that?" He questioned.

"What?"

"Sounded like you had something against it."

"Well, teaching them how to shoot things and potential people. Is that really what we should be promoting?"

"There is more to the army than that. There is the camaraderie and the discipline."

"As I guess you know."

"Yes, I do."

Clara was now rather aware that she may have insulted him and felt bad about it. "Sorry, I have this… friend who is rather anti-army. He thinks everything can be sorted by just talking. Although he won't tell me why he thinks what he does."

"He is probably one of these people that will never be grateful for what we do or put on the line."

"I don't know about that."

"Are you going to this drinks thing tonight?"

She bit her lip. She wanted to go but she knew that the Doctor would want to go on another stakeout. She didn't really feel like doing it night after night but she was with the Doctor and that was all that mattered at that moment.

"I would but I have this… other thing to do."

"Oh, okay," Danny said, disappointed. "I suppose that I will see you around."

"Yeah see ya," Clara said as he left.

She wanted to hit her head against the nearest brink wall. Could that have been any more awkward?

* * *

Clara would admit that she didn't really understand the motion of going to the same place every night and watching the same door for something new to happen. Whatever was happening, was happening inside and it didn't make much sense to be outside.

Also, the Doctor had caught onto her slightly bad mood. She was still thinking about her conversation with Danny earlier and different ways that she could have approached it. Basically what she should have said instead of what she ended up saying.

"Are you sure that you are alright?"

"I think I just made an idiot of myself."

"That isn't very hard."

She turned to him, wondering why no one had ever slapped him before. "Thanks for making me feel better."

"No problem."

"You are insufferable."

"You just said I made you feel better."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Maybe you should make yourself clearer."

"I could be in a warm pub right now, with friends, drinking and talking about school and things like that. Instead, I am in the cold, with you, on a stakeout of a restaurant that you think might be kidnapping these people."

"We have proof for Missing Person C."

"Missing Person C is called April. April Parks. A 23-year-old woman who had her own life. Please stop making them sound so inhuman by calling them by which missing person they are. They are people."

There was a short moment of silence before the Doctor sighed.

"What's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You aren't usually this defensive."

"I am cold and tired." She paused for a moment. "Plus there is this new guy at work and he is quite good looking but I made a total balls up of our first conversation. Really Doctor. In all honesty, I don't really want to talk about it."

"He is an idiot if he is going to judge you on your first conversation."

"I won't know that until we have our second conversation and I am not so certain that my mouth won't run away with me if I have a second conversation with him."

She could sense that the Doctor didn't really understand her last sentence and she didn't really have the strength to try and make him understand what she meant. She found herself more having to explain herself and she just wondered whether it was because he was the Doctor, he didn't have the same social skills that most other people would. The rest of the police force hated him and the only conversations he has really had since he became the Doctor was from Idris and K9. It was getting so bad that she thought that she might have to think about making him flashcards to use in certain situations.

"What are we even looking for?" She asked.

"Anything we think is of value."

"So you could potentially get us coffee?"

He turned to her. "Why would I do that?"

"It was just a suggestion."

"Do you want a coffee?"

"I thought that you would never ask."

"Or chips? Or coffee and chips?"

Clara sighed as the idea of chips was a good idea but she had recently noticed how much bad eating she had been doing around the Doctor. These stakeouts usually lasted well into the night and by that time they were both hungry again. They would always get something on the way back, much to the annoyance of Idris.

"No. Just coffee. And you are paying."

"I haven't got any money."

Clara scoffed. Of course, he didn't have any money. She found herself reaching into her coat pocket and finding a ten-pound note. It would be enough for two coffees.

"Here." She turned to him when he didn't take it. "You are fetching it."

"But what if something happens?"

"I will film anything that I feel is of use."

She felt like he wanted to argue it further and she was glad when he sighed and stood up. He took it off of her and mumbled that he would be back soon. She shouted after him that she wanted a latte. She was sure that he mumbled something after that by the way his shoulders moved. She hoped that he would bring back enough sugar for them both.

Clara sighed heavily before turning her attention back to the restaurant and trying to wrap her coat closer around herself. She did wonder why they couldn't have done this sitting from the car but here she was. She just hoped that the Doctor would come back soon with the coffee.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Clara was really unsure about what she was doing. She knew that she had to tell someone but there also was a part of her that knew that while she sat in the commissioner's office, the Doctor could be walking through the door of the TARDIS. But she had to tell someone.

The previous night, Clara got worried when the Doctor hadn't returned after an hour but knew that she couldn't just up and leave her post. She waiting for the restaurant to close before she went off in the direction that the Doctor did to see whether she could see him. After half an hour of looking, she gave up and hoped that he had caught onto to something interesting, got bored and returned to the TARDIS. She had given him 24 hours before she went to the commissioner.

"What has he done now?" The commissioner said as he fell into his chair.

"I don't know where he is."

"Sorry?"

"We have been… observing that restaurant and I was cold and I sent the Doctor to go and get coffee because he had dragged me out night after night to sit in one place and observe the restaurant. He never came back with the coffee and he wasn't back at the TARDIS when I got back or left for work this morning. I'm all new to this. I don't know whether this is something that he does a lot or whether this is a one-off."

The Commissioner sighed. "I wish it was a one-off. Don't go to the restaurant. Go back to the TARDIS. I will put the relevant protocol in place and send out a small lookout party for him. Probably going to be the newest recruits who have no idea who he is." His voice dropped to a mutter. "Let's just hope it isn't six months like last time."

Clara's eye widened at the thought. In six months, the missing person list would have grown out of control. She was very aware that the commissioner had now realised that she had heard him and that she was now panicking.

"It only took six months last time because we didn't realise he was missing until he walked through the station doors, him stating that he had been kidnapped for six months and no one had noticed. But we have you now to notice and we will be straight out there to find him. Don't worry. We will find him."

She wouldn't say that she was totally believed him but she knew that she had to leave it in his hands. She felt like she had done the right thing but she was sure that only time would tell as to whether the Doctor would be found quickly or not.

* * *

"I know you blame me," Clara said as Idris came in.

"I don't."

"Well, I blame myself. I sent him for coffee when I know he has the attention span of a toddler."

"It isn't the first time he has done this. This isn't the first time any Doctor has done this."

"I know. The commissioner let slip that last time he was missing for six months."

"It wasn't six months."

Clara turned to Idris. "What?"

"The Doctor, all of them, seem to have a poor sense of time. He came back to the TARDIS, moaning about how he had been gone for six months and no one had noticed. He didn't like it when I corrected him every time to say that he had actually been gone a year."

"Oh my stars, what have I done? It was only coffee."

With the door going, both of them looked up at each other before they made their way towards the front door. Clara desperately hoped that it was the Doctor and was confused by the two women, one of which had a veil on, and a short stout man. She could tell that Idris was upset that it wasn't the Doctor but went to them straight away to help them with their bags.

"I hear that you are a school teacher, Miss Oswald. I hope you don't teach your children to just stand there and stare." The woman in the veil said.

"I don't. Sorry I am new to this."

"Then we should introduce ourselves." She lifted the veil to show that she wasn't quite human. "I am Vastra. This is my wife Jenny and this is Strax."

Clara found herself nodding. They already seemed to know who she was, so she felt like there was no need to introduce herself.

"We are the protocol for when the Doctor is missing, even if we are very rarely used. We have our own methods and we are also looking out for the Doctor. But while he is missing, we are to pick up the case that he has been working on."

"Then come this way. Unless you want to do something else before you go head first into the case."

"I think the sooner we get started, the sooner we might have some answers."

"Then this way," Clara said as she turned to show them the Doctor's evidence room.

* * *

"We will find him."

Clara looked up to see Jenny standing in the doorway. She had sat by one of the big bay windows at the front of the TARDIS to see if there would be any sign on the Doctor and unintentionally started her own surveillance of the street for any sign of him. She hadn't noticed how late it was, even with the sunset.

"I don't doubt that."

Jenny smiled at her and Clara had no idea what it was for.

"He might not do it a lot but he must be on to something. He seems like he has really invested himself in this case."

"It isn't reassuring in any shape or form if that is what you are trying to do."

"You as well then."

"Sorry?"

"Vastra has been in this game for a long time now. A previous Doctor had saved her and that is why she is in debt to him. We are private investigators in practice. She has said that she has seen a number of companions fall for their Doctor. I think I can just about see the attraction. It takes someone special to work with him. Someone of the same mindset."

Clara nodded, unknowing what to really say. Jenny's last sentence stayed in her mind though and it was something that she knew that she would be thinking over for the next few days.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The second conversation with Danny wasn't as bad as the first and Clara found herself actually finding him rather attractive and someone that she could have a laugh with. If anything it distracted her from the fact that the Doctor was still missing.

She found herself daydreaming out of her classroom window as she watched Danny with the cadets. She had to admit that it did have a good effect on the students that were apart of it. They did seem more focused.

She sighed as her thoughts turned back to the Doctor. It was the third week that he had been missing and Vastra, Jenny and Strax had been good company, even if they had taken the investigation off her slightly. She had given input when she was needed but thought that it was just best to leave them to it. She was still thinking over Jenny's words and she knew that there was some meaning behind them. Part of her felt like she knew the meaning behind them. She knew it because of the little touches and other little things that the Doctor did for her but seemingly no one else.

Clara waved at Danny as he looked up and saw her. The small awkward smile that he gave her was enough to banish her thoughts about the Doctor for a few moments. She had been looking forward to the drink that they were going have later and as the bell rang, she knew that there were only two more lessons of the day left. Two more lessons before she could get out and go out with him and forget even more about the whole situation with the Doctor. For an hour or two or three, she could forget about everything that was happening in the TARDIS and the restaurant and just be normal for the first time since she took the job.

She wouldn't say that she regretted her new job with the Doctor but she hadn't yet really found a way for him to just slot into her life without trying to take it over. The Doctor had muttered a few times about her being a control freak but she didn't feel that way. This was her life and if she didn't enjoy teaching as much as she did, she would have probably dropped her job to join him full time. She would find a way to keep them separate. It might just take a few weeks of trial and error but that would only be when the Doctor is found.

She sighed. "Where are you, Doctor?"

* * *

 

Clara was just doing a few jobs while she waited for Danny. Making sure her classroom was in order, making sure she had all the essays that she had collected in. Little mindless jobs that meant that she was ready to go when Danny came in. She smiled when she heard the footsteps.

"I'm ready when you are?" She said with her back to the door.

"Good."

She spun around so quickly at the Doctor's voice. He was standing there, looking a little worse for wear, holding two coffees in his hand. The relief that he was safe rolled over Clara but was very quickly replaced with the anger that he went missing and also that he had to turn up now.

"Where have you been?"

"You sent me for coffee." He said like nothing was wrong with it.

"Three weeks ago."

"It wasn't."

The feeling of anger had started to fade and Clara found herself closing the distance and wrapping her arms around his neck. He didn't argue with her but placed the coffees on her desk so that she didn't spill them on herself. She hoped that he would relax into it but all he did was release a breath that made her concerned about his well-being. She pulled back from the hug and noticed the bruising around his temple and a small cut that was hidden by his hair. She knew now that he might not be totally to blame.

He gave her a small smile before his eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out. Clara tried to stop him from dropping to the floor but the Doctor was heavier than he seemed and she just about stopped him from hitting his head on the floor.

She sighed heavily, just knowing that her evening with Danny had now been destroyed by the fact that the Doctor was back. She left him lying on the floor before grabbing her phone and leaving him in her classroom. She made her way towards Danny's while speaking to Jenny, telling her that the Doctor had turned up and that she would need help getting him back to the TARDIS. With the promise that they, or at least Strax, would be there in a few minutes, Clara started to rattle her brains for a good enough excuse as to why she was cancelling on him last minute.

She knocked on the door and waited for him to say that she could come in. She didn't move far from the door.

"I've kinda got to cancel tonight." She said.

"How do you mean kinda cancel?" Danny said worryingly.

"It's nothing to do with you. Just an old family friend has come by the school and has asked whether I could go to dinner with him. He is one of these people that never sit still and is always travelling somewhere new. He is only in London for the night and it would be great to spend some time with him before he goes again because I don't know when I will see him again."

Clara felt like she had said all that in one breath but it was the best thing that she could come up with in the time that it had taken her to get to him. The smile that rose up on his lips she knew that her sort of lie had worked and that he might forgive her for it.

"It's fine Clara. We will just have to do it next week."

"Yeah, but it is never nice to have plans that get cancelled last minute."

"But it's fine. Go and enjoy your night with your family friend. We can catch up tomorrow or on Monday."

"Thank you." She said before walking over to him and giving him a kiss on his cheek.

She gave him one last smile before she ran back to her classroom. She just got there to see Strax and Jenny carrying the Doctor out of her classroom. She smiled at them before she grabbed her things and followed them out of the school.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

To say that the Doctor wasn't impressed by Vastra, Jenny and Strax being in the TARDIS, let alone finding out that they had kinda taken over his investigation. Clara just allowed him to go off on his rant as he told them that it was his investigation and that they might have compromised it. It was only when the Doctor seemed to be repeating himself that Clara really started to worry. She obviously knew about the cut and bruising on his head but she hadn't realised linked it to the fact that he had blacked out. Maybe she should have.

"Doctor." She said gently.

"Yes." He said turning towards her. "Thingy."

"Are you okay?"

He stared at her like he was trying to remember her name. "Yes. I don't think names are my thing."

"Clara."

He huffed. "Well, it might be Clara. Might not be. It's a lottery. Like she is green and she is not green." She said, gesturing to Vastra and Jenny.

She took a deep breath and sighed. "Doctor, I think you need to sit down."

"I am fine."

"Doctor, I am scared you are going to pass out again."

"I am fine."

He swayed slightly before stumbling and finding his footing. He stayed upright but everyone in the room ran towards him. Even Idris had appeared from nowhere to try and catch him if he fell. With a shake of his head, he stood back up straight before going into the same rant using the same words only five minutes before.

Clara caught Idris' eye and as she pulled up a chair, Clara grabbed his arms and pulled the Doctor over towards it, pushing him into it.

"Doctor please." She said as he made an attempt to get up. "I know that you probably only think you have been gone for a day or two but it has been three weeks and we have all be worried about you and now we are even more worried about you since you keep blacking out. Please just sit down and let us look you over."

There was a hint of confusion in his eyes and she knew that he was trying to work out what emotions she was expressing. She knew that he could possibly see the worry. She hoped he could see the worry through the anger and sadness.

"How do your eyes do that? They just inflate."

Any other occasion, she might have laughed at that but instead, all she wanted to do was hold him close to her and find out what happened. She crouched down and grabbed his hands. She knew that he would be wondering what she was doing and why but she knew that she had to try and make him see some kind of sense.

"What happened to you, Doctor?"

"You sent me for coffee."

"Okay, let me ask that another way, how did you get the injury on your head?"

"What injury on my head?"

She gently raised her hand and traced the cut with her fingers. "This injury."

He brought his own hand up to trace along it. He brought his fingers back to see that they were clean, which Clara hoped was a good sign. He traced along it again.

"Are you sure it isn't an old injury?"

"There is bruising as well."

"Are you sure?"

"How did you get it, Doctor?"

He blinked at her a couple of times before he shook his head again. Clara let go of his hand to allow him to place his head in them. She wanted to stop him as he seemed to press the heel of his hand into his eye socket. She knew that he was probably doing to so that he could give her an answer but it was a little painful to watch. The whole room was silent and Clara found herself wrapping her hands around his wrists to pull his hands away from his face.

"I don't know. I don't know what has happened in the last… how long?"

"Three weeks."

He shook his head again. There was this weird buzzing noise. She had no idea what it was or where it was coming from but she hoped that soon someone would say something.

"Concussion," Strax said.

Clara sighed, knowing that was probably the answer to it.

"The injury is only a few hours old, ten max. A good old tactic." He continued. "Knock them out, make them disorientated and then send them back over enemy lines confused after giving us the answers that we wanted."

She turned to Strax as everyone else did. Everyone else didn't seem as concerned about the words that had just come out of his mouth as she was.

"How the hell do you know that Clara?" The Doctor asked.

"Doctor. He's not Clara. I'm Clara." She said as she stood up to be back in his eye line.

"Well, you are similar heights."

Clara turned to Strax to see that they were similar heights. She hadn't really stood next to him before to compare but she could just about see how the Doctor might mix them up in his current state.

"Doctor, I think you should go and rest," Clara said, holding her hands out to him.

There was a moment when he just stared at her hands and she was glad when he took them. She slowly pulled him up. She knew that she would remember the way that his hands felt in hers, the difference in the roughness of their skin and how big his hands were compared to hers. The thing that she would remember most was how safe she felt with his hand in her, even if he was disorientated.

She brought herself closer to him, just in case he passed out again and started to lead him towards the staircase to go up to his bedroom. She had some idea where it was after the number of times they had headed to bed together after the stakeouts. For the first time since the Doctor returned, they were on their own and Clara took the time to feel the relief that he was back in the TARDIS.

"You aren't taking advantage of me, Clara Oswald."

She smiled as he used her full name. "I thought names weren't your thing."

"How could I forget your name?"

"I think you did for a moment."

"It is all in here." He said as he pointed at his head. "It is just all jumbled at the moment."

Clara pulled herself tighter to him as they walked down the corridor towards the Doctor's bedroom. "That is why you need to rest and get yourself back to strength. At least Idris will cook the right amount of food."

She worried when he didn't smile and was glad when they reached his bedroom. Pushing open the door, she found the light switch before walking over to his bed to place him down onto it. She took off his shoes for him, not trusting him to be able to do that before taking off his jacket and telling him to lie down.

"Clara… Stay with me."

There was a hint of fear in his voice that she didn't like. She would have liked nothing more than to sink into the covers next to him and hope that she could wrap her arms around him to keep him safe. Instead, she told him to give her a second as she rushed to her bedroom to change into something more comfortable as well as grabbing her marking. When she returned, she promised him that she would stay there for as long as she could before getting Idris. She watched him as he curled up and closed his eyes. She stayed like that for a few moments before moving to the armchair near the bed and starting on her marking.

And she thought that the Doctor was meant to protect her. Not the other way round.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It had taken the Doctor a couple of weeks to get use to the fact that he was back and get back into the swing of things again. It had taken Clara a while to understand that the Doctor was scared because he couldn't remember what had happened. They had done a number of exercises to try and get him to remember but Clara could only guess that unless he was in that situation again or where it happened, he might remember.

Her excuses to Danny got less and less believable and it was only at that point that she knew that she would have to mention Danny to the Doctor. She knew that she had already mentioned Danny before but there was more to it now.

The Doctor seemed to be rather protective of her now, even going to the extent that he said that he will drop her off at work and pick her up again. Something must have happened to him for him to act like that. Not that he didn't care for her before.

With Vastra, Jenny and Strax being at breakfast, she hoped that it would keep the Doctor thinking straight and act reasonably.

"Do you want me to take you to work today?" He asked.

"Doctor, honestly I am fine going by myself."

"But you never know."

"I know." She paused. "I will be going out tonight. Straight from work."

The Doctor turned to her. "Why?"

"You know the person that I spoke to you about before you went missing." She waited for him to nod. "Well, I might be going out with him now. I can't really think of any more excuses other than I work with the police and the person that I am helping has concussion after being missing for three weeks and doesn't know what has happened to him and is worried for my safety now, can I?"

He took a mouthful of food and chewed slowly as he thought about it.

"What's his name?"

"Danny."

"Full name?"

"Why?"

"I want to check him out. I would like to know about his prospects."

"Do I have to bring him to you for approval?"

"No, I can just put him through the police database for that."

Clara sighed. Of course, he would.

"Doctor, he is a maths teacher and a really lovely guy. You do not need to put him through the police database."

"I am not saying that you can't date."

"Good."

"I just want to check him out. I can't have you dating some criminal that you will end up coming face to face with. There are aliens on Earth without you knowing. What if he is one of them?"

"I don't think he is."

"You don't know about that."

"Doctor, it is only a date."

"A serious date?"

"I want it to be."

The Doctor went oddly silent and Clara wondered whether, deep down, he did feel the same way about her. With Danny around, her crush on the Doctor hadn't vanished, just been dilated slightly. Danny was someone that she could see herself with and be normal with. It was something to keep pulling herself back to the reality of normal life. The Doctor pulled her out of normal life and into a world of aliens and investigations. She loved both sides of it. But she now needed Danny to stop herself from going full time with the Doctor. She would go full time with the Doctor if he asked her.

"I want you back to the TARDIS though. I will get a taxi so Strax can pick you up. He can even take Danny back."

"Thank you."

Clara thought that she might not be thanking him once he had somehow found out Danny's full name but for that moment, she could just go out and be a normal person for a few hours before coming back to the madness of the TARDIS.

* * *

"Still up for tonight? No weird friends or uncles turning up unannounced? Or family emergencies?"

Clara giggled, knowing that it was just covering up her nervousness. She could make it work. She could keep her two lives separate.

"Still up for tonight. Although I can't promise anything if something does come up last minute."

Danny smiled at her. "Hopefully it doesn't."

"I don't think it will." She said, hoping that the Doctor wasn't going to ring her last minute.

"Good."

She found herself smiling up at him. Even with her weird feelings for the Doctor, she hoped that she could make things work with Danny. Maybe one day he would have to be brought into the secret but she hoped that would be on her terms rather than on anyone else's.

"Where do you want me to pick you up from?"

"The Powell Estate. Let me know when you are almost there and I will come down."

"I will see you there at six."

Clara nodded at him as the bell went and he walked off in the direction of his classroom. She groaned slightly and hoped that the Doctor didn't have anyone watching her. He would not be happy to know that she went back to her flat. She was so glad that she took that lift into work. The excuse that she would have had to think up for her to go back to her flat to collect her motorbike would have had to be something special. She was sure that the Doctor was going to start seeing through her lies but it was better for him to know about Danny than for Danny to know about the Doctor.

She was glad that she had the first period free and set about going to get herself a cup of tea before finishing to mark the essays that she had started but not finish last night. She would make her normal life work with her life with the Doctor. They would remain separate and Danny wouldn't get swept into the Doctor's life. She had things under control.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Danny did pick her up, from her flat, at six, like he said. The taxi dropped them off a little shy of where they were meant to be, due to traffic, but Clara enjoyed the walk to the restaurant that Danny had chosen. That was until she recognised where she was and what she hoped that they were going to walk past. As the queue of the restaurant came closer and closer, she was glad as Danny pushed her slightly to walk next to the queue.

She sighed but still felt rather on edge as they continued on their way to walk in front of the restaurant. She was glad that she knew how long the restaurant was and she hoped that they could quicken their pace.

That was only if Danny's pace would increase too.

"I would like to try this restaurant out. I have only heard good things about it."

"Have you?"

"And you haven't?"

"I'm not saying that. I just heard that it was also a little pricey."

"I think the queue shows how popular it is."

"I suppose."

"I have had a look. You have to now book online in some virtual queue. There is a two-week waiting list."

Clara didn't particularly like how this conversation was heading. She knew that now there would be a reference to them going there and at the moment, it was the last place that she wanted to go, for obvious reasons. She suspected that the Doctor's three-week disappearance may have been down to the fact that they had been surveying the restaurant. If that was the case then she knew that they would know who she was. The last place she needed to go was in that restaurant.

"Danny, this is London. There will be another restaurant that will open up and it will be the next big thing. And this one will become forgotten."

"I don't think the hype is going to die down just yet."

She let go of a breath that she didn't realise that she was holding as they finally walked past the front of the restaurant. There was a brief moment when Clara thought she had seen four people throwing what looked like a body bag into a bin down the alleyway between the restaurant and the next property but she knew that she wouldn't be able to either stop to have a better look or go back. She made a note to try and text Jenny about it and see what the Doctor might think. She would text the Doctor directly but he didn't have a phone and she kinda wanted to keep Vastra, Jenny and Strax in the loop. It just made her think there was more than just her trying to keep the Doctor safe. Just while she was getting into the role of being a companion.

* * *

Clara smiled at Jenny's reply before putting her phone away as Danny returned to the table. They'd had a nice evening and she was glad that she hadn't said the wrong thing or anything. It had been just a pleasant evening. But Clara had found herself comparing Danny to the Doctor and she knew that it was a bad thing to start to do. Danny was never going to be the Doctor and the Doctor would never be like Danny. She could have a different life with Danny than she could with the Doctor.

"Maybe I should put us down on the waiting list of that restaurant," Danny said.

There is was. The sentence that she had been waiting for all evening.

"I am not so sure."

"Clara, you seem to be the only person who does not want to go to this restaurant. Do you know something no one else does?"

The simple answer was yes. It was explaining why that was the problem. She knew that she would sound crazy if she tried to explain the Doctor and everything he does. Plus she didn't really know whether it was her place to tell anyone else about him. Was her role as the companion to try and keep his secret?

"I have heard things."

"Like?"

"People going missing. Entering the restaurant and not exiting it. I dunno. Maybe it is something just to slow down business there."

"Where have you heard that?"

"From people."

Clara realised how weak it sounded but it was as close to the truth as she thought that she could get. She even felt like she had said too much.

"But how do they know? It hasn't been on the news or anything."

"I know but I trust the person who said it. I don't think they would have said it to me if they didn't believe it was true."

Danny sighed and Clara wondered whether she had put him off the idea or just stalled it for the moment. Either way, she knew that she would have to shut down the idea completely. She could not go in there. It would be her who would be missing next and after the last investigation, she didn't think the Doctor would be too happy if that happened again. Especially with how he had been recently.

Nothing more was said that evening about the other restaurant and as the finished off their drinks before heading into the night, Clara slipped a call to Strax to come and pick them up. Danny was sorting out the bill and she knew that they would only fall into another argument if she said that they should split it. She would just say that she would pay for the taxi, that she was obviously going to get out last and probably not paying for.

It was a relief to see Strax sitting outside and with a quick word to him, Clara opened the door for Danny. She knew that he hadn't seen the blue light as it scanned her palm. She felt like she knew the Doctor too well now. Of course, he would try and pull something like that to try and get his full name, probably hoping that he would be a gentleman and get the door for her. She spent most of the journey to his scanning the cab for anything else that might be trying to work out who Danny was. Not that she had any qualms with the Doctor knowing who Danny was, save for the solider part.

Clara opened the door again when they reached Danny's house.

"Am I that bad company that you want to get rid of me?" He joked.

"Not at all. Just it is late and I am sure, like me, you have a stack of homework to mark."

"It is Friday."

"I don't know about you but I don't like marking over the weekend."

"You have a point there." They kissed each other on the cheek. "See you Monday."

"See you Monday."

She stopped him from pushing on the door and left out a sigh as she watched him walk into his house.

"Just go Strax before he realises he hasn't paid you."

Instead of going, Strax turned to her. "He's a soldier. You can smell in on him."

Clara was getting use to all the little weird things that Strax said but she really hoped that it was just because Strax was once a soldier that he could 'smell' that Danny was a soldier and she hoped that he wasn't about to tell the Doctor.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Clara knew that she had to get a word in before Strax. The last thing she needed was the Doctor finding out that Danny was a soldier. She knew that Strax could tell him later but she hoped that Strax would kinda forget about it. He didn't seem like the sharpest tool in the workshop and she hoped that it would work in her favour.

"Emergency, Danny wants to take me to the restaurant."

"What restaurant?" The Doctor said blinked at her.

"The restaurant that we are investigating."

"That's not a good idea."

"I know. It is why I need ideas to put him off the idea."

"Just tell him the truth."

"Without involving you, I have already tried that."

"Why can't you involve me?"

"Because I don't think Danny is the type of person that will just accept that his date has two jobs and one of them is working with a police detective, investigating into alien activity." Clara stopped for a moment. "Does this actually have anything to do with aliens?"

"If you are asking about the Daleks, they are human. They might have just found something alien that they use to help them."

"So are you saying that they are part human now?"

"Slightly. I never went into conversation fully with Darvos about it. He doesn't particularly like us Doctors. He usually tries to kill us. But if I do ever get a proper conversation with him, I will make a note to ask."

"Us Doctors? He has met more than one of you."

"I don't think he ran into my predecessor but he ran into their predecessor."

"How long ago was your predecessor's predecessor?"

The Doctor paused for a moment. "I don't know. I will find the dates for you later. I am actually glad that you are back."

"Why?"

"Well, you can tell your boyfriend now that you can't go there because it is not the centre in a missing person investigation. It is now the middle of a murder investigation. Grab your coat."

"He's not my boyfriend." She muttered. As the Doctor walked past her, she grabbed his arm to stop him. "Where are we going?"

"The mortuary."

"Why?"

He sighed. "This is our investigation. We need to look at all the evidence. This body is part of the evidence. As my companion, I want you to come with me."

"Could I at least quickly get dressed?"

He looked her up and down, maybe just realising what she was wearing. "You look fine. You have even taken your make-up off."

"Doctor I am still wearing my makeup."

"You must have missed a bit. Come on."

Clara sighed but was grateful as Idris showed up out of nowhere with an arm full of clothes. She smiled at the woman before shouting at the Doctor she would be a minute and closing the door. She sorted through the clothes that Idris had brought her and chose an eye-print blouse, a pair of blue trousers and a brown leather jacket, more suitable for a mortuary than the dress that she was currently wearing. Idris took the dress off of her with the other clothes as Clara made sure she looked a little presentable. Knowing the perfect shoes to finish off her outfit, she ran down the halls to where she suspected the Doctor had gone to get in the car.

* * *

There was something oddly sterile about a mortuary that Clara instantly hated. She hoped that not many of the Doctor's case became murder investigations and by the way that he was acting, she hoped that this body was going to be not too bad. She had certain ready about death many times. She was an English teacher who was keen on her literature. Of course, she had read about death. And she had seen her mum at her funeral. But the thought of this poor person, in this sterile environment, on some cold slab turned her stomach.

The person who looked after the body, a diener as Clara later found out, looked rather bored until he noticed the Doctor. At this time of the night, they were probably the only visitors that he was going to have. The way that he greeted the Doctor made Clara instantly aware that this wasn't the first time he had done this and that over a certain period they had become friends. Not that Clara felt jealous at all. She really needed to get her emotions in check.

With strict instructions not to touch the body, the diener opened the door to where the body was kept. The Doctor instantly followed while Clara held back.

"Are you coming?" He asked her.

"These are one of these things that you know happens but you don't think about."

"Clara."

"You know. It is like… your parents. You know that they had to have had sex to have you but it isn't the best thing to think about. Like it is just a weird thought to have. Or about anyone else. Like you know that they have done it but it is weird to think that other people have done it other than you. If you get what I mean."

"Clara, you are acting weird."

"Doctor, there is a dead body in there. You might be used to it but I'm not."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"You can stand by the door if you want."

"Do you know what state the body is in?"

"No." He sighed. "That body is only lying there because you saw it being dumped. You said you wanted an excuse not to go to that restaurant, this is one. This will be linked back to us and I am not going to let the commissioner know about this. I have yet again put you in danger. I just wish I could remember what happened to me."

It amazed Clara that weeks after, the Doctor was still scared by the fact that he couldn't remember. She sighed as she steadied her nerves and stomach. She knew that it would be unpleasant but there was nothing really to prepare her for the sight of the body in front of her. The diener started to explain how he believed the person had died and what had happened to them. It was when the diener pulled back the cloth at the Doctor's request that it became more real and Clara knew that they would have to tell someone.

"That's." Clara started, not really able to finish her sentence.

"Missing Person B." The Doctor continued for her. "This has happened before."

He turned without another word and stormed towards the exit. Clara smiled at the diener before thanking him, even if she wasn't really thankful for the experience. She made her way after the Doctor, hoping that now the investigation could move forward.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

There were two things that Clara learnt that night.

The first thing was that she was never to allow the Doctor to just walk off. By the time she had found her way out of the mortuary, she found the car gone. She instantly called Strax to pick her up for the second time that night before pulling her jacket closer to herself as she waited. She knew that either she would have to drive more often and keep the keys so he couldn't leave before her or she would just need a number of a good cabbie who wouldn't mind picking her up at the weirdest times of the day. She couldn't rely on Strax every time after this investigation.

The second thing was that seeing a dead body in person maybe wasn't as bad as she thought she might as she thought. It was more finding out what had happened to the person. The fact that he was missing a hand and some of the skin on his arm, stomach and leg made Clara cringe than seeing his face. She was glad that the diener didn't uncover the body further than the shoulders. She didn't think that she would have actually like to see the damage done to the body.

There was a hope now that the investigation would be moving on and as Strax pulled up, she was hit with a new wave of excitement for the case. It wasn't great that it was a murder investigation but now there was another layer to it.

She jumped into the passenger seat.

"Thanks again Strax."

"Shouldn't you be in the back?"

"It isn't far to the TARDIS. Anyway, you aren't my chauffeur. I would hope that, at the very least, I am now your friend."

Strax didn't really reply to her as he drove off.

* * *

Clara watched the Doctor as he went from book to book, dropping them before picking up the one that he wanted. He kept muttering about it happening before. With the drawing room now being an explosion of books and the Doctor deep in thought, she thought it was best to leave him to. He didn't need her going and asking stupid questions. She already knew that he would still be doing the exact same thing when she would come down for breakfast. That was if she ever went to sleep.

The marking that she had planned to do would now be done over the weekend. Part of her hoped that the Doctor would now take all weekend to find the answer that he was looking for. Monday afternoon, when she got home from work, would be the perfect time for him to discover the answer.

Her feet instantly took her to the kitchen where Idris was making a pot of tea. She smiled at her before pouring two cups and handing her one.

"Is that one for the Doctor?" Clara asked.

"No. I do like a cuppa as well. He will just forget about it now."

"How long do you think it will take him to find the answer?"

"There is no telling. He may have found it by morning or he will be in that room for a week. Hopefully, together we can remind him to eat."

"Those books?"

"From the Doctor's before him. They might not have left the same detailed stories that past companions have left you but they have left books of the aliens that they have fought before. There is quite a collection of them."

Clara nodded. "The Dalek brothers?"

"I was wondering when you were going to ask. They were lovely boys. If only Davos didn't have his empire for them to get swallowed into."

"I don't want to push the Doctor."

"He has always hoped that they would see the wrongs of their father and not join into the business. Davos took Sec out of school as soon as he had completed his exams to start grooming him for the business. If anything, he should have taken Caan out. Sec… Sec was a good boy, not as ambitious as his brother. It is probably what got him out of jail sooner."

"What did they do?"

"Clara, you don't want to know."

"Why?"

Idris took another sip of her tea and Clara wondered how it worked. She was technically some hologram or something like that. She almost didn't think that she was going to get her answer.

"Homelessness was going down. The government ranted and raved about how it was a good thing and that it was the brainchild of this company that takes them in and sets them up with a job and a room in this big block of flats. It would have been brilliant if that was what was happening. The Daleks… they have these henchmen. It started off being a group of criminals that the police turned a blind eye to because it was Davos Dalek. That man has money everywhere.

"What was really happening was that these homeless people were being brought into the scheme and made into mindless slaves. Given a gun and told to do some horrible things to some people because the Daleks didn't like them or they were going to nab some land that they were hoping to buy or just rivals. It really wasn't what they were ordered to do more what happened to those that weren't successfully made into mindless slaves. After hearing how that body is, I would have to agree with the Doctor. Sec Dalek has not changed."

"Were they left in a state like that then?"

"If they were left in that state, they would have been kind. The companion at the time wrote a story about it but I took it off the shelves. I think it was lucky that the companion at the time was a junior doctor. No one else would have had the stomach for it."

"Are the Daleks alien?"

"Part. They have been around for a very long time and I fear that they have many, many years left in them. The reign of the Daleks is not over yet. Not even if and when Davos dies."

Clara felt like she had enough answers to say that she was more than satisfied that she knew more about the Daleks. Not that she would want to know any more by the sound of things.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The Doctor hadn't found the answer by the end of the weekend nor the end of that week. Clara sighed as they came to the end of the second week, watching him as he did the exact same thing. Vastra, Jenny and Strax had been brought back to the TARDIS just so any investigating could be done but not even the mention of them got the Doctor out of the daze he was currently in. She would have gone in there and tried to talk to him but she was already late for work and she at least needed to be in before the first bell rang.

Clara found herself not wanting to go to work. The Doctor wasn't helping things as she knew that all he would do, both day and night, would be to pace that room and flick through books. Danny wasn't also helping. He was meant to be her distraction from this world but he was trying to drag her to the crime scene. She was still trying to come up with a good reason why she couldn't go to that restaurant but was failing to find a good excuse. If she didn't see him, it meant that she had time to think of an answer. Or, worse case scenario, he would just think that she wasn't that interested in him. She was. She just didn't want to go to a restaurant that did that to a customer.

"I'm going to work now." She said, hoping to get something out the Doctor.

There were a few days that he would hear her and acknowledge her with a hum. She did get a goodbye the other day but she was just met with a wall of silence. She sighed again as she left him to it. She needed to get to work.

* * *

Clara found out that maybe ignoring Danny wasn't a good idea. He wasn't angry about it nor did he think that she wasn't interested. It made him spur on to get a table booked and to get her to come with him.

"Seven o'clock. Tonight." He said.

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, tonight. Therefore, unless something comes up last minute, you can't cancel on me."

"Danny..."

"I'm not going to take it, Clara. It is the best restaurant this side of the Thames. Yes, it is slightly pricey but that is why I am paying for it. You seem to have a lot on your mind at the moment and I want to take you out to just get you to relax. You have been weird since our date."

"Danny, it is a nice gesture but..."

"No buts Clara."

"I just don't know whether it is my scene."

"It is dressed like a Victorian restaurant would have been in the day. It would be like stepping into Pride and Prejudice."

"No, it wouldn't."

"Why?"

"Because Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813. Queen Victoria wasn't on the throne until 1837. For it to be walking into a restaurant like they would have gone to in Pride and Prejudice, it would have had to be dressed like a Georgian restaurant, George the third to be exact."

Clara was sure that she said that sentence in one breath. Danny sighed.

"Clara, why don't you want to go?"

The real answer was there on the tip of her tongue but she wondered whether a small white lie would suffice in this instance. But in all honesty, she couldn't really be bothered to argue with him. This whole conversation about going to the restaurant had now been going on for two weeks and she found herself tired keep telling Danny that she didn't want to go.

She sighed louder than she wanted to.

"Maybe I just had a bad review. I think the person who I heard the bad things from's date may have walked out on them and they haven't heard anything since. I don't know. And don't be stupid, we will split the bill."

There was a way that Danny's face lit up that made Clara slightly glad that she had taken him up on his offer.

"Great, I will pick you up at half six."

"No. Umm, I will pick you up. It will make more sense. Last time you had to basically go out of your way to pick me up. It will make more sense if I come to you to pick you up."

"Fine."

Clara was glad for that. It meant that she could now get Strax to drop her off and stay close by. Now she knew that she would have to come up with a plan with the others for this to work.

* * *

"Emergency. I am going to the restaurant. Tonight."

Clara didn't really get the reaction that she thought she would get and it was only when Jenny came out of the Doctor's study and closed the door behind her that she became a little suspicious.

"Miss Clara. You are home." Jenny said, smiling at her.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"No, there is something going on."

That was when Jenny's smile started to faultier and Clara knew that something was up. She walked past Jenny and dramatically opened both doors to the Doctor's study. In there stood Idris, Vastra, Strax and no Doctor.

"Where is the Doctor?" She asked.

Vastra looked like she was going to reply but Idris somehow managed to get their first.

"He just ran out of the house. We think that he found the answer that he was looking for."

"So he is following a lead?"

"Yes."

"Where is he then?"

"We don't know."

Clara groaned. "I suppose I don't need him anyway to come up with a plan. Danny has booked a place in that restaurant and I am going to pick him up at half 6. Strax, could you take me?"

"I am not a taxi service," Strax said.

"No," Vastra said. "But Clara does have a point. You will need to be close by. Don't worry dear, we will sort out something."

There was always something about the words 'don't worry' made Clara worry more. No, she shouldn't be going to that restaurant but with the Doctor running off again, maybe it was the place she was meant to go.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Clara didn't really need anyone to help her get dressed or do her makeup but as she listened to Vastra, she found Jenny's help not something that she desired but something that she was thankful for. It helped her to concentrate on Vastra's words. They had said, once again, not to be worried about the Doctor's disappearance and attempted to reassure her by telling her that it was how he liked to do his job.

"When he gets into a case, he likes to take undercover seriously," Vastra explained.

"That doesn't help me." She paused when Jenny came over with some lipstick. "I just want to know where he is and I want to know whether he is safe. After last time, I am worried that something else will happen to him and he will have no idea again. I worry that he managed to get into that restaurant once before and they made him forget what happened in there. I am worried about what might happen if I go in there."

Vastra didn't reply straight away to allow Clara a moment to look in the mirror that Jenny had appeared with. She was glad that she and Jenny had the same sort of views when it came to make-up. The rather plain covering with most of the colour being in her lipstick and the eyeshadow. She especially liked that the colour of her eyeshadow matched the colour of her dress. Even if the navy dress was modern, not that she expected the other diners to be dressed Georgian/Victorian, the hairstyle was rather of the period. Her bun had been decorated with big hair grips. She would have to ask where Jenny got them from.

"Like it?" Jenny asked.

"More than like it," Clara said with a smile.

"I am sure it will knock him dead."

There was a small moment between Vastra and Jenny where she thought that Vastra was scolding Jenny for her comment but Clara would have to agree with her. She hoped Danny liked it as much as she did.

"I might have to call on you more often."

"Back to the Doctor," Vastra said.

"Yes."

"We understand that you are worried but you should go and enjoy your night. Strax will be nearby and you have Jenny's number. If you get into any major trouble, there is a button in this brooch." Vastra said as she held up the blazer. "Also, if the Doctor is in the restaurant, I am sure that he will reveal himself to you when he is ready. You are his companion. You are the first person he will run to now."

There was something mildly comforting about her words but it didn't mean that Clara had stopped worrying.

* * *

By the time that they got to Danny's, Clara was a complete bag of nerves. She felt like she was hiding it well but the mixture of the Doctor being missing again and going to the restaurant and the fact that the Doctor might announce himself in the middle of her date just made her want to call the whole thing off and go back to the TARDIS to spend a night with a good book and a couple of cups of tea. Her ideal night in.

She hoped that whatever scans the Doctor had put on the cab either didn't work or he had forgotten about when Danny fell into the seat next to her. If not, he would now know exactly who her date was.

"Good evening." He said, kissing her cheek.

"Evening."

"You've made an effort."

Clara looked at her outfit, even if she knew what she was wearing. "It was just something I had bought a while ago and was looking for an excuse to wear."

If only that was the truth. She would admit that she was using the TARDIS' wardrobe more than her own. The dress had caught her eye before and was quickly implemented into her own. She had looked the dress up just to see how much it had cost and found it was a lot. She had questioned Idris over it but she had just shrugged it off and said that the wardrobe is a mixture of new and old. Bearing in mind that Idris didn't leave the TARDIS, she wondered how the new got in there.

"It's nice." He said.

She would have said that she and the dress looked more than nice but she knew how nervous Danny got and just settled for it.

"You look handsome. Pink for Mr Pink."

Clara found herself giggling at her own joke. It really wasn't that funny, if it was funny at all but she blamed it on her nerves, like the fact that she was certain that her mouth was going to run away with her during this date.

"I didn't think of that." He said as he looked down at his shirt. "It was just one of the ones that were clean."

She knew exactly what he was thinking and she knew that this was a terrible start to a date. Part of her hoped that Strax would get them there soon just to stop this awkward conversation that they had gotten into.

"It is fine." She said, trying to reassure him.

"Is it?"

"Yes."

He pulled at the shirt before smoothing it down. "I suppose it is too late now."

"It was just my mouth. It has a mind of its own sometimes. It just runs away from me. I end up saying stupid things, like what I have just said."

"Well, if you have thought about it, this shirt is definitely going into the side of the wardrobe that is non-school wear. I get enough stick for the surname anyway. Not that I find anything wrong with it."

"Pink used to be associated with boys anyway. Just because our modern ways have made kids think the other way, doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with it."

"I suppose not."

Clara let out a sigh of relief as Strax pulled up and announced that they were there. Danny went into his jacket to pay him but she managed to stop him by having a rehearsed conversation that they would pay him on their way back and that she would call him when they are ready to be picked up.

They stepped out of the taxi and Clara instantly wished that she had a warmer coat on. Luckily Strax had dropped them off quite near the door. The bad part of that was that Clara was ushered from the taxi to the restaurant door in minutes.

She wasn't ready for this.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It was very clear that once they walked in and sat down that it was a place that Clara would probably only go in once. The features that the restaurant had were beautiful and to the period. As soon as they left the modern front of house, they walked through a set of double doors that revealed the main part of the restaurant. The main part was bigger than Clara had expected. The domed ceiling held a number of chandeliers and Clara's eyes followed them down to the walls that held the most wonderful art. She wished to just spend her time looking around.

Their table seemed to be more in the middle of the room than on the edges. Clara smiled at the waiter as he pulled out her chair for her and pushed it in as she sat down. She could now see what everyone had ranted and raved about but that still didn't do much to calm her nerves. The position of the table didn't help. She felt more vulnerable.

They were left with the drinks menu for a few moments. They silently sat there for a moment, something that Clara was glad of. She didn't know whether she had upset Danny and she was trying her hardest to act as normal as possible, which was easier said than done. Also, the wide range of wines was making her head spin. She ended up looking at the prices rather than the names.

When the waiter returned, she was glad that Danny was of the same opinion as her and ordered a bottle of the cheapest wine on the list. They were left with the food menus that had the same range of food.

Danny leant forward. "Maybe you were right. This place is rather pricey."

"I don't know how they get away with giving this much choice. I can see about three things that I want to try on the first page. And yes, we are definitely splitting the bill."

By the time the waiter had come back, they had managed to get their choices down to two. One that Danny was going to order and one that Clara was going to order. They had agreed to share once they reached a stumbling block at what they were going to have.

After being told that their food might be a while, Clara became aware that they would have to talk to make that time up. She knew that she would have to pick her words carefully and not allow her mouth to run off with her.

"I am glad that you have dragged me here. It is beautiful."

"I just don't know how it is so big in here. Like it doesn't look big from the outside."

Clara agreed with him while taking another look up at the ceiling. There was something about it that just didn't look right but she couldn't place her finger on what it was. It looked like it was slightly swaying but it couldn't be, could it?

The bottle of wine came and as Danny poured, Clara knew that she would have to sip it all night. There was no way they could afford to get another bottle as well as pay for the food they ordered. Small talk ensued and it was going well. Clara found herself relaxing into it. Even when Danny excused himself to go to the toilet, everything felt fine and Clara felt like a bit of an idiot for worrying as much as she did.

That was before she saw him.

She sat there, completely and utterly confused as the Doctor stumbled about. He was wearing a coat that she didn't recognise and didn't think she would recognise. The problem with being in the middle of the room was that there was very little that she could hide behind and she desperately hoped that he hadn't seen her.

Again, that was before he made a beeline for her table.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same."

He looked around before taking Danny's seat and leaning forward. "I am investigating. You are going to blow my cover."

"Maybe you shouldn't have come over to me then. Anyway, if you stuck around earlier, you would know that I am on a date after Danny practically dragged me here."

"When did he tell you that he had got a table?"

"This morning."

He blinked at her. "Clara, this has been booked up for months. Even online, the waiting list is months."

"We spoke about it on our first date, two weeks ago. So even if he signed up then to be on the waiting list, we can't be here now. Give me a second."

She knew that the Doctor was watching her carefully. She opened up Google and typed in the restaurant before clicking on its website she clicked on the tab 'Book a Table'. There she was met with the form and a waiting time of two months.

"Ooh. Doctor, you have to put who is dining. Their full names, ages. Danny must have thought that half of this stuff was weird to fill out."

"Why?"

"It is asking for ages, height, skin tone." Clara trailed off before looking up at him. "Doctor?"

"You are only here tonight because either they want someone like Danny or they want you. They must know that you are working with me."

"What are we going to do?" She paused. "And where did you get that coat from?"

He looked down at himself. "I bought it."

"I don't think you did. It stinks."

"I may have bought it off a tramp. Come on, you are probably going to be safer with me."

"And what happens when Danny returns and I am not here?"

"Do whatever you do on that thing and write to him to let you know where you are. Just say some sort of emergency."

He didn't really give her any time to argue as he stood up and walked back over to where he was. She sighed before realising that he probably was right and that she would be safer with him. With a massive amount of hope that they were after her, she sent Danny a text before leaving some money underneath a plate. She deserved to pay for the wine.

She sighed again as she stood up to follow the Doctor. She reminded herself that she was the one to take this job and it was what she wanted. Next time, she knew that there would be a strict no dates during an investigation. She couldn't deal with this every time.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Snooping around places that you probably shouldn't be was the best way to get noticed by the people that you think in involved. She thought that the Doctor took immense pleasure to say to the men that picked them up that he wanted to see the manager. With the size of the restaurant, it was probably only right that the rooms at the back were tiny. They were pushed into a room with one guard staying with them while the other one got 'the manager'. The Doctor immediately took one of the chairs in front of the desk. Clara looked at the guard before taking the seat next to him.

"Doctor." She whispered. "What are we going to do?"

"We are going to find out who is behind this."

"And then what?"

He fell silent and Clara sighed. She was grateful when her phone buzzed and she looked at Danny's reply. Of course, he was angry that she had left him but she was certain that she would make it up to him. It was just a relief that he hadn't been nabbed in the toilet. It meant that they were after her and that she had basically handed herself to them. At least she hoped that it would mean that Danny would leave now and that he would be safe. He could not get mixed up in this.

"For fuck's sake. I told you what to do if he ever turned up."

"Sorry, sir. But he wanted to see the manager."

Clara could see the Doctor smiling and she was certain that those involved were the people that he thought. She thought that he would have liked to not recognise the voice but it was probably nice to know who was about to walk through the door.

"Doctor." The man said as he walked from the door behind them and around to the other side of the desk. "And you must be Clara Oswald. I have heard much about you." He turned his attention to the Doctor. "You got a good one there. A young bird to keep you young."

"You haven't changed have you Sec."

"Would you like it if I did?"

Sec Dalek was nothing like she imagined him to be. He looked like he must have been in his mid-thirties with thick brown hair. He wore a suit but it hung to him in all the right places. He was rather handsome and she could already tell that he had probably broken a few hearts. There was a small scar about his right eye but she thought it just added to his bad boy look.

"Maybe. I thought you were going to change your ways."

Sec dropped into his chair. "Dad didn't like that. I told him that I wanted nothing to do with the business. I told him that Caan can have it all. I didn't care for it for all the trouble it had gotten us into. Plus, I had… something else to keep me busy."

"What was that?"

Sec smiled. "Rusty."

Clara turned at the same time as the Doctor to see the young man, no older than 18, walking through the door. She suspected that he was called Rusty due to the massive amount of ginger hair he had.

"This, Doctor, is Duante. My son. He contacted me when I was in prison to tell me all about himself and why he was writing. He wanted his father in his life, even if his mother didn't."

"Duante?" Clara said. "Rusty is a nickname."

"One I got at school that stuck," Rusty said in a surprisingly thick Irish accent. "I made it my own. No one calls me by Duante."

The Doctor turned to Sec. "You are not introducing him to the family business."

"He has the hunger for it. He would take on my brother." Sec sighed. "Things are changing Doctor. This is only the beginning. Dad… Dad isn't well. It is the only reason we are here now, in London with this stupid restaurant. I didn't want this for him. I didn't want to do what I have had to do. I didn't want to make the deal that I did. But with Dad… I need to show my brothers that I still mean business. I need to show them that they might take over the Dalek empire but I will be able to stand on my own two feet without them. I will make my own empire with Rusty." He paused. "You should go and see Dad when you have the chance. I hear he isn't good."

"I thought you Daleks were meant to be around for years."

"No. The name will be. I have at least passed it on. My brothers need to get a move on." Sec's eyes flicked to Clara. "Maybe they would like your new companion."

The Doctor stood up quickly. "You don't touch her."

"Protective of her, are you?"

"She is my companion."

"Your companion? Is she good then? Does she keep you company in your lonely old TARDIS? Does she keep you warm at night? Does she look after you? Or is it just so you have someone to go back to? Someone to know when you are missing? Someone who could actually leave the TARDIS to tell anyone?" He paused and stood up. "I have to get rid of her one way or another. We run this as a joint enterprise. The other partner isn't happy about you and her sneaking about. I can't save you. He already knows what he wants from you. But I can save her." Sec leant forward more and made eye contact with Clara. "If she is that good, maybe I will take her for myself." He whispered.

Clara had started to feel uncomfortable way before that moment, but there was the way that his bright blue eyes just bore into hers. She wanted to look away but felt like she couldn't.

"What other partner?"

"You should know. You've already met him."

"No, I haven't."

"Oh, you have. He just didn't want you remembering. He liked your eyes." Sec moved slightly towards a lever. "So what is it? Is poor Miss Oswald going with you or is she staying with me?"

"She stays with me."

"It's a shame. He will probably like her eyes as well."

Sec pulled on the lever and Clara couldn't stop herself from screaming as the floor disappeared from underneath them.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

There was a surprisingly soft landing and Clara laid there for a few moments as she got her breath back and wondered what the hell was going on. The Doctor, on the other hand, was straight up. She could hear him looking about. If anything, she wished that nothing more would happen to her during this investigation. She would like to just lie there and nothing else happened. She knew that it wouldn't be that way, due to the fact that were due to meet the other partner.

"Oh." The Doctor said.

She groaned as she sat up. "What?"

"I've been here before. I have met the other partner." He paused. "I was nabbed as I tried to stop someone else from being nabbed. They brought me here and..." He trailed off as he placed his hand on his forehead. "I don't know. Something happened. I don't remember the conversation. But I know who or what the other partner is."

"Okay, who or what?"

"I don't know what his name was. I don't think I asked. But he is a clockwork droid. Let's call him the Clockwork Man. The Half-face man. He only had half a face."

"A clockwork droid?"

"A previous doctor had encountered them. Their ship crash landed centuries ago. That Doctor thought that they might have been here for more than a million years. Before us humans. The ones that he met were all clockwork and just… I don't know what they were after but I think it was similar to what these guys want. Just these have been using fewer body parts to build their ship but more on themselves. To blend in more."

Clara couldn't help but feel disgusted at what the Doctor had just said but she supposed that it was what was happening. The body that they found proved that. The poor time that person had to go through and Clara wasn't even certain that they could bring the justice that their families deserved. Like there was no way that they could mention any of this to their families.

There was a weird noise, that sounded like gears, and she was sure that her eyes widened when the Doctor's did.

"How long can you hold your breath for?" He asked.

"What?"

"How long can you hold your breath for?"

"Not long. What does that have to do with anything?"

"They are droids. They might be from the future but they aren't that intelligent. If you hold your breath, you will be able to blend in."

"Doctor. He knows your face and I feel like they might know me as well. I don't think that it will work."

"Just do it."

She did try and hold her breath as he did. She found herself shallow breathing for a little while before trying to hold her breath properly before the droid reached them. She felt rather ridiculous but the plan seemed to work a little. That was until the Half-face man walked in and Clara let go of her breath.

"Doctor, we meet again." He said with a rather robotic voice.

Clara found herself taking a step towards the Doctor. "Told you." She whispered.

She thought that he would walk towards the Half-face man but she was glad when he stayed where he was, close to her. She could just imagine her standing there, listening to their conversation while feeling rather uncomfortable. It almost made her want to press the button in her brooch. She kinda wanted this to be over with now.

"We had hoped that we had done a good enough job the first time around. A missing police detective never looks good. I suppose with Miss Clara Oswald, there will no one who will miss you." The Half-face man continued. "Miss Clara Oswald. 28, 5 foot 2. White British. She will be useful."

There was just this sinking feeling that Clara felt. She had not been with the Doctor long and she still didn't know how he had managed to get her out of the muddle she got herself in with the Great Intelligence and she had no idea what was going through his head by the look on his face.

"Why?" The Doctor asked.

"Why what?"

"Why is the dome made of human skin? How many people have you killed?"

Clara was certain that she gagged. She felt like that was the only option for that sentence. She had been looking up and slightly admiring a ceiling made of skin. No wonder it moved in the wind.

"Waste material. We put it to better use."

"Lovely?!" Clara commented.

"Who got careless?"

"The Daleks. We burn the bodies. With that one, someone was somewhere they shouldn't have been. They thought that they were being helpful."

"Just for Clara to walk past at the right time to see them dump the body." The Doctor said. "I guess it must have been Rusty. Quite a rookie mistake."

"He is his father's son. Complacent."

"I think Sec just had more of a conscious. He does care. Making a deal with the other would have been better. Why them?"

"You make it seem like I had a choice." The Half-face man cocked his head to the side.

"I would have thought that Caan would have had less morals for something like this. Unless… Sec doesn't know what is actually going on. Oh. They don't know what goes on down here."

"They run the restaurant. We do what we need to do. We are no businessmen."

"But they must know something now," Clara added. "No one would take a dead body without asking any questions."

The Half-face man turned towards her. "Just because questions were asked, it doesn't mean that they were answered."

"They must be questioning what you do. They must be seeing that they would be in more trouble. See the problem you have is, a missing police detective won't look good and no, no one will look for the Doctor." Clara paused for a moment. "But there will be looking for me. You can't touch us because more questions would be asked. And I do think that the Daleks know what is going on. The little comments about the eyes. I think they know exactly what is going on which is why they sent us down here. I don't think that they want anything to do with you any more."

She wished that the Half-face man blinked. It would have been better than him just staring at her with real lifeless eyes. She thought that it would be the moment that she would relive and replay over and over again in her head but it wasn't. It was how she reached out to grab the Doctor for her hand to just brush through the air. She turned to see him no longer standing next to her and she allowed herself the luxury of being able to panic.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

It took Clara a few moments to reorganise her thoughts as she calmed herself down. She felt like she would feel better if she knew how the hell the Doctor managed to disappear while surrounded by people, or droids. It just made no sense. Before she could press the button on her brooch, two of the droids grabbed her arms, keeping them by her side. She tried to struggle out of them but their grip was tight and she was sure that she would have some bruises that she would have to try and explain somehow. Just another excuse that she would have to come up with.

"I suppose you will do." The Half-face man said.

The two droids picked her up slightly and followed the Half-face man as he left the room. There was no way that Clara could see herself getting out of it and as much as she was scared, she felt rather angry. Angry at the Doctor for leaving her in this situation. This was the fourth time that he had left her this investigation and she was going to have to have a serious conversation about it with him. He couldn't just keep abandoning her like this.

Clara felt her eyes widen as they entered the other room and she started to struggle more as she noticed the operating table and the medical instruments laying on the tray next to it. The room didn't smell like a hospital and she was certain that there was dried blood on the floor. Not that she wanted to be his next victim but she would prefer to have her body parts removed on a cleaner surface with clean instruments.

"Wait!" She shouted.

The droids carrying her stopped immediately. The Half-face man took an extra step before turning. She really hated him staring at her. The fact that she knew that he was going to blink made her feel on edge. He turned his head.

"Where is the other one?"

She coughed out a breath. "How am I meant to know? You know as well as I do that one minute he was there and the next he was gone."

"You spoke. Distracting me."

"Yes, you. What about your helpers? Did they not see anything..." Clara trailed off before taking a good look at the two droids holding her. Of course, they had painted on eyes. "How do they see?"

"They don't. Where is the other one?"

"I really don't know."

"He must not escape."

"How do they work then?"

"I ask the questions."

"You have already answered one of mine."

"Where is the other one?" The Half-face man repeated.

At that point, Clara was sure that she could have started crying, telling the Half-face man over and over again that she didn't know. The whole situation was beginning to overwhelm her again and she could feel the panic build up inside of her. The operating table and instruments didn't help the situation.

She was surprised when she was placed down on the floor and the two droids next to her let her arms go and took a step backwards. She could still hear the ticking behind her so she knew that she couldn't do anything rash, like press the button in her brooch. Why couldn't the button have been on her bracelet or something like that?

"Maybe I haven't been with him long and maybe I don't know exactly what he is like on these investigations, but the thing I do know is that he will get me out of this. He somehow managed to get me out of the Great Intelligence's database, I would think that the clutches of some ancient clockwork droids aren't going to faze him one bit. He has saved me once and he will again and if not, then he has started to give me the ways to do what he does. I am totally new to this and yes, I will admit, I am totally terrified by what might happen. But I now have the Doctor's back and he knows that I have his. And he has mine and I am sure that whatever plan he is currently setting out will be brilliant and stop you once and for all. This is the end to your little killing spree. The Doctor will stop you and he will come and save me. He has my back."

Clara knew that it was instinctual the way that she reached out behind her. She was hoping that the gentle footsteps that she had heard as she said her piece was the Doctor coming back. The way she was dragged backwards and spun around to face him took her breath away. The still didn't stop her from wanting to slap the smile off of his face, which she did.

"What was that for?" He said in surprise, holding his cheek.

"I was suddenly abandoned," She hissed at him. "We will talk about it later."

The Doctor turned away from her and start to do whatever monologue he had prepared. She didn't really care any more. She felt like she would be freer to press the button in her brooch, which she finally did. She had now crossed off two things on her list of things to do.

Slap the Doctor for being an idiot. Press button on her brooch. Think about what she was going to say to Danny. Say what she had planned to say to Danny. Make things up with Danny. Talk to the Doctor about his behaviour.

She only really came back into the room when the Doctor grabbed her arm and started to pull her away from the scene. She got what she was meant to do and started to fall into place beside him.

"Why are we running?"

"Were you not paying attention?" He shouted.

"No, I have things I need to think about."

"What? Date boy? He is long gone."

"Well, I hope so. Why are we running?"

He never asked her question with words. Instead, they got to a point where the Doctor pushed her behind something, she didn't take the time to process what he had pushed her behind before he pushed her down and covered her body with his. She was about to argue that if he wanted to get close to her then there were other ways to go about it but that was when it happened. All Clara registered was the loud boom and the way everything shook as the Doctor's plan came to fruition.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

There was no knowing what was going to happen. Clara knew that she had to remain calm with the amount of dust that was now surrounding them and the fact that there wasn't much room for her to expand her lungs properly. She had maybe forgotten how heavy the Doctor was and she could only assume that he might have some weight of the rubble on his back, weighing him down further.

"I may have not thought this though properly." He said.

"That is the understatement of the century. Can't you move? You are really heavy."

"I am a little stuck where I am. And usually, I only have myself to look after. You aren't being helpful what so ever."

"Really? At least I don't keep disappearing on you."

"Will you too stop arguing?" Another voice said.

Clara wasn't so certain if she could put a name to the voice until daylight hit her eyes and she grabbed Sec's hand as he dragged them out of the ruin of the restaurant. Rusty had already sat the Doctor down on one of the bigger bits of rubble.

"Don't worry Miss Oswald," Sec said. "I am just checking you over."

She couldn't really believe how blue his eyes were and she felt herself get lost in them. He smiled, probably noticing what she was doing.

"You don't want to do that. You might see something that you don't want to know." He let go of her hands and turned to the Doctor. "I didn't expect you to do something like that."

"I would never have thought that you would put in the call that you did. Plus, I wasn't sure what I was going to do."

"Wait, what's going on?" Clara asked.

"I became rather suspicious about what was happening and the purpose of the restaurant. Now I can run one of these things like clockwork. I know so many people it is hard not to. I always knew that the Doctor would come sniffing around like he usually does and, in short, it helped me out. I don't want the life I had for Rusty. We are out of the family business but we are also trying to keep a low profile. The Half-face man was making that hard. Missing people is never a good step and then them being murdered as well, never going to look good." Sec smiled. "But that is where I can use an old friend, one that has foiled my dad's plan enough times that I knew that he would do the same here."

"The reason why I ran off the second time."

"So you ended up working together?" She said.

"I can't afford to go back to prison and Rusty can't afford to go to prison. I lose a rather undesirable business partner while the Doctor gets to be the hero and solve the case. Just to warn you now, he does like to show off."

"I do not."

Sec gave a short laugh. "I am sure you are about to find out all about the Doctor." He leant towards her. "He needs someone to keep him in line and to love him. He might not realise it yet. The teasing was all a front. I am sorry if it made you uncomfortable but he does deserve someone like you looking after him. He is older than you imagine and more breakable than he ever was. Look after him for me. He needs to be around to stop all the bad things that happen. Just… Just remember that you are just as breakable."

There was something about Sec that was incredibly charismatic and it almost made Clara wish that their paths would cross again. It seemed like it would be something that would happen. Maybe when they visited Darvos.

Sec placed a kiss on the back of her hand before he finally walked away from her and over to the Doctor. He held out his hand to him.

"Till next time."

The Doctor shook his hand. "I hope there isn't going to be a next time. A new chapter to your life."

"As there is a new chapter to yours. Keep hold of her Doctor. She is a good one."

Sec gestured with his head for Rusty to follow them as she to a few steps to stand next to the Doctor. It was slightly sad to see the father and son go. A few steps in, Sec turned again.

"Please make sure you see Dad. I think he would like to see you."

"I will try and find the time." The Doctor said.

As they finally left them to it, Clara wrapped her jacket tighter around her. The morning air was colder than she had imagined and she wasn't really dressed appropriately. All she could think about now was a nice hot shower and her bed. The tiredness was starting to settle in.

"Can we go home now?" She said as she heard the sirens approaching. "I think we have a few things to talk about."

"Ah. I think we should probably wait for an ambulance." He lifted his foot slight. "I think it might be broken."

Clara winched at the way his foot slightly swung. Of course, he had hurt himself. It would be too simple for nothing to happen like that. She sighed before she took a seat next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and was glad when he wrapped his arm around her rather than just shrugging it off.

"So what did you want to talk about?"

* * *

"Miss Oswald."

Clara could have been very rude to the police woman who had just woken her after she had just felt like she could have fallen asleep in the rather uncomfortable hospital chair. She was cold, tired and the last place she wanted to be was in A&E wait for the Doctor to be seen to before she could go home. She knew that she had to be debriefed but she thought that there was a better time and place for that.

"What?" She said without opening her eyes.

"I have been sent to debrief you. If you would follow me."

She opened her eyes to be met with the nervous face of the police woman. She was obviously new or new to this part and she had probably been given this job because no one else wanted to do it. With a sigh, Clara stood up and followed the woman to one of the more private rooms in the hospital.

"Right, apparently the official line is that standards in the kitchen had fallen, causing to a gas leak. It just so happened that the cleaner thought that it would be a good idea to have a cheeky cigarette as no one else was there. It was lucky for him that no one else was there and no one was in there to be injured."

"Gas explosion. Got it."

The woman looked at her weirdly. "Aren't you going to question the official line? I am new to this and I don't understand why we already have an official line when we haven't even started our investigation."

"I am new to this and the man I am with is the reason there is already an official line. There has been an investigation and he will write it up soon. Not that you will probably read it. Now if you excuse me, I have to make sure that he is alright and then I have to go and see someone to make things up with them."

Clara knew that she was just standing there staring at her but she felt like she knew the drill already. She knew the official line now. It was what she could tell Danny. And she really needed to go and see Danny.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

There was one thing that was for certain. Clara was an absolute mess.

It was now midday and she found herself standing outside of Danny's house, in the same clothes, dust-covered, waiting for him to answer the door just so she can give him some sort of explanation. The tiredness was starting to hit her again and she had hoped that the coffee that she had downed at the hospital would have lasted a little longer. The taxi driver wouldn't allow any drinks in the taxi and proceeded to try and make conversation with her as he drove her to Danny's. She wished that she had got some sleep in the taxi.

Danny's surprised face said it all and she knew that she maybe should have gone back to the TARDIS to at least shower. She must have looked a right mess.

"You deserve an explanation." She said.

He nodded at her before stepping to one side to let her in. She would have probably taken her time to look around but she took off her jacket and placed it over her arm as she followed him to the living room. He offered her a drink, to which she asked for a coffee. She knew that she shouldn't be pumping herself with caffeine and that she wouldn't be able to sleep once she got back to the TARDIS but she needed it now, or otherwise she was going to fall asleep on Danny's sofa.

She took a sip before she started talking.

"Just let me say my piece. Danny, I would love to tell you everything. I would love to tell you about this other job that I have and what I do and why I do it and what it all means but I can't. I am under an oath that means that I can't tell anyone. Plus I am not so sure that you will totally believe me. You might think that the lack of sleep has got to me. But what I can tell you is, I have this second job and I love it. The restaurant. The guy I work for knew something was up with it. I couldn't tell you exactly because I can't." She groaned. "Oh Danny, I wish I could tell you more. I wish I could tell you the whole truth without there being any repercussions. But I don't know what I can say and what I can't.

"But I know this. I do want to be with you. You just have to accept that I have this second job and that there will be times went I can't go out as regularly as you might like. There will be times when I am distance and distracted. There will be times when I am going to be short with you. But I don't want that to get between us. I want us to work somehow and I am willing to try and make it work."

For a moment, Clara thought that Danny hadn't taken in anything that she had said. She hadn't really understood what she had said. The coffee hadn't kicked in yet and she was wondering whether it was going to kick in. She felt her eyes go heavy but she forced them open. She had to. She couldn't just fall asleep in someone else's home after only knowing them for a couple months and only going on a hand full of dates. She did have some standards. She just wished that he would answer her.

"Are you sure that you can't tell me more? This seems all really suspicious."

"I wish I could tell you. And maybe as an army man, maybe you will understand more but at the moment, I don't want to do anything that might ruin it. And on the other hand, I want to try and make us work. This second job is really crazy. Like some really crazy stuff goes down. I want something else than my teaching job to keep me grounded in a sum what to reality."

"What happened to you at the restaurant?"

"I don't know but I am glad that you are fine. Apparently, there was a gas leak and one of the cleaning staff thought that it would be good to have a cigarette while no one else was there. Blew up when he lit the cigarette. I think no one was hurt though, which is the main thing."

"That didn't really answer my question."

"Look what we do… even my friend's boss wants to keep it as quiet as he can." Clara sighed. "Can we focus on us? Do you want for there to be an us?"

She had expected him to sigh as well but he didn't. There was a moment when Clara knew that she could put it down to the tiredness as to why she made her next move.

"Do you want there to be an us? Because I don't know. I don't know where you are. You seem interested one moment and not the next."

She knew that she knew that she could have told him with words. She knew that in a more alert state, she would have come up with the right words to say how she felt and how she wanted them to take a chance. In that moment, she took a chance as she leant into to kiss him. It wasn't like it was some life-changing kiss that confirmed to Clara that Danny was everything that she wanted and more but it was an amazing kiss and she found herself craving the intimacy that she had been missing for a while. There had been no boyfriend or random guy since she left university and she knew that she was ready for that sort of relationship again. She needed someone.

As they broke apart, she knew that she had done enough to convince Danny that is was what she wanted. However, she found herself still trying to convince herself that it was Danny she wanted to be with. She wanted the intimacy that Danny was surely going to give her but was she just using Danny because she knew that she wasn't going to get the intimacy off of a certain someone else?


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Danny had offered to make her lunch or dinner or said that he would take her out, but there was nowhere else that Clara would rather be than at the TARDIS. She wanted a shower and her bed, but most importantly, she wanted to finally be able to talk to the Doctor properly about a number of things. She felt a little better but she thought that could be due to the fact that she had finally had some sleep, even if it was just 20 minutes in the taxi.

She guessed that by the carriage outside, that Vastra, Jenny and Strax would be leaving the TARDIS once more. The investigation was over and Clara did presume that there would be no further need for them, even if the Doctor was injured. Whether they would call on them again, she didn't know but she was slightly grateful when Vastra handed her a business card.

"If you ever need us." She said. "Look after him. The Doctor needs a good pair of eyes to watch over him. I know I can trust you to try and keep him out of trouble."

"I think that trouble finds him."

"It doesn't mean that he shouldn't try to stay away from it. He may have referred to you as a control freak but I think you are exactly what he needs."

Clara huffed, knowing that she would be a long way from trying to shake off the control freak persona that the Doctor was telling everyone that she had.

They all said their goodbyes and left. The quietness that fell over the TARDIS was deafening and Clara could only just imagine how that felt for the Doctor. She brought sound to the TARDIS. It was obviously built for more than just them two knocking about in it.

It was K9 that told her where the Doctor was and she waited for a few moments outside of the room while she listened to Idris tell the Doctor about how reckless he had been and how it could be more than just his ankle broken. It wasn't before long that Idris exited the room. She told Clara that there was a pot of tea in the room and a spare cup before expressing that she was glad that she was alright after the Doctor's lack of judgement. Idris left her, muttering about how stupid the Doctor had been.

Clara pushed open the door and flopped into the seat next to the Doctor. She closed her eyes for a moment before sighing. She opened them again and sat up properly before pouring herself a cup of tea. She was glad to see that Idris wasn't too angry with the Doctor not to deliver biscuits with the tea.

"Don't worry. I have told to take it easy and I am sure that Idris is going to enforce that heavily." The Doctor said.

"Good. I will be making sure that you do as well."

"Yes, boss."

"We need to talk."

"We could have talked earlier. But you didn't want to."

"I didn't really think that the rubble of the restaurant that you had just exploded was the best place. I know you have just been lectured by Idris but this is my turn. There were many parts of this investigation that I didn't like at all. Mainly the running off part. I understand that it might be how you work but that is now how you used to work. You have me now. You don't have to do everything on your own. Also, you can not go around blowing places up without warning me first. Idris is right. It could have been a lot worse than your left ankle being smashed to pieces."

The Doctor gave a short sigh. "Noted. I will include you more in future cases. But I wouldn't like to say that your focus has been totally on the case."

"And that is a fair judgement. I have already decided that while there is a case on, I won't date, or won't be going on dates. I have tried to explain that to Danny without actually saying what we do. I think he kind of understands. It was hard to tell when I couldn't tell him much."

"You could tell him more."

She turned towards him. "Could I really?"

"Depends on how serious it is."

"Doctor, it has only been a couple of dates. At the moment, it is nothing serious. I think we are still working things out."

"But you've kissed him."

She was shocked that he would say that. She wondered whether he had bugged something with hers with a camera to try and see who Danny was. But there was the hint of jealousy in his voice and she knew that it would play on her mind for a while.

"I am a detective." He continued. "I am used to seeing things that other people will miss. Like also the fact that you are tired."

"I should be. I have been up all night."

"I think bed sounds like a good thing about now. I just have to find the strength to get up the stairs. These bloody crutches are a pain in the arse. I forgot how difficult they were."

"Maybe you will think next time you think the answer was blowing up a building."

"I did make sure that you would be safe."

There it was again. The feeling that he did care about her more than he was letting on. It may explain some of his behaviour. It did confuse things but she was determined to make a go with it with Danny. She felt like she needed someone to ground her, to keep her to reality. Someone who will make sure that she took time out for herself and allow her not to get sucked into the Doctor's world completely.

"I know you did." She stood up before holding her hands out to him. "You might be heavy but I think I can at least help you up the stairs. I need a shower anyway before I even attempt to try to get to sleep."

To give him some credit, he did take her hands without a hint of a sigh or argument. She pulled him out of the chair and helped him with his crutches.

"Just admit it, you need me more than you would like to admit."

"Don't push it, Clara Oswald."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Clara would admit to herself that she loved both aspects of her second job. She loved the mystery and hype as they were on a case, but she also enjoyed the calm that came after the latest one. Strangely the Doctor was acting less protective since the case had ended but that might just be because they were being rather protective of her.

She knew the day would come when the Doctor could do more for himself and, to be honest, he could do most of what he wanted to do, it was just his ankle after all, but Clara enjoyed watching Idris look after him and tell him off when he was doing something that she didn't approve of. Most of their arguments were due to the Doctor eating too many biscuits and then not being hungry for dinner.

She laughed as they descended into another argument that she knew would last long after she had gone.

"I will see you two later." She said as she gathered her things together.

"Bye Clara." Idris got out before carrying on her rant at the Doctor.

She hoped that they would always be like this. The fact that the arguments didn't disrupt her life, but added to the homely feel of the TARDIS. Picking up her keys, she left the TARDIS for a day at her proper job. This job with the Doctor was always going to be like some hobby. Plus it was Friday. Who wasn't glad that it was Friday.

* * *

"Date. Tonight." Danny said as they fell into step.

"Mr Pink, you can ask me beforehand." She said.

There was quite a strict rule of always referring to the teachers as Mr, Mrs or Miss when around the students. With her classroom not far, she knew that they could finish the conversation there. They could call either other by their names then. With the door to her classroom closed, there was a sense of relief that they could actually be themselves.

"Maybe I am just a bit more cautious because of all the times that you cancelled on me."

"I can assure you that I will not cancel on you this time around. We have nothing new on yet and won't do for a while. My friend is just a little injured. He won't be able to take on anything else until he is better."

Danny smiled at her. "Are you sure that you can't tell me anything more?"

"I have asked. Many people in fact. I can't tell you anything more unless you want to join and in reality, I don't want you to join. Not that I mean it like that. I just… It's not that I don't want you to get involved but I don't want you to get involved. It is just weird to try and even explain."

"It is really? I do kinda feel like you don't want to explain it to me."

Clara shook her head. "Honestly Danny, I am not even totally sure what I am meant to be doing in my role. I can't really tell you about something that I don't totally understand myself. I will tell you more when the time is right. And I work it all out." She paused for a moment. "Are you going to tell me where we are going?"

"That is for me to know and you to find out."

"No, it isn't. This isn't how this works."

"Why?"

"Because I have to pick you up."

"Do you live with him then?"

"It is part of my job."

"What about your flat?"

"I still have that and I still have most of my stuff over there. It is there if I need any quiet time. Which I think I will take full advantage of it next time around. I swear I had like no time to myself. Not that it was anyone else's fault but my own. I always try and do too much." She placed a hand over her eyes. "I also need to know when to shut up."

"There is an Indian just up from where I live. I was planning on taking you there. If you didn't like Indian then there was a Chinese nearby. It was just going to be a low-key thing."

She smiled at him. "Then I will dress low-key."

"Unless you don't want to go somewhere low-key. There are other places."

"Danny, low-key is fine. Perfect actually. Even if I told myself to lay off the takeaways for a bit. It's fine because I know I am not going to have one tomorrow."

"But Fridays and Saturdays were made for takeaways."

"I think it is the other way around."

He smiled at her again. "So met you at mine for half seven. Gives us a bit of time to do a few things before going out."

"Sounds perfect."

There was a way that the school bell and the shouts of school children would always ruin any smile or good mood. Danny did offer her a smile and a shake of his head as he moved to leave her classroom. He confirmed that it was low-key and at his at half seven, even if they just had that conversation.

As the students for the next class flowed into the room, Clara found her eyes wandering to the clock. Only two and a half hours and she would be done for the weekend. She had a date with Danny and maybe even a slightly relaxing weekend with the Doctor. She might even see if she could rope him in and help her with the essays that she had neglected to mark over the last couple of weeks because of a certain case.

With the feeling that the next two and a half hours would drag, Clara knew that she might have to scrap the lesson plan that she had carefully planned out to government guidelines. What did the government know about teaching?

"Frankenstein. We discussed in the last lesson about how there were four key themes in the book. I want you to get into four groups and pick one of those themes. When you have made your decision, you must tell me and then start arguing your case as to why your theme is the most prominent in the story. I want really good arguments and for you to be making notes on what the others are saying because your homework this week will be to write an essay on the themes of Frankenstein." Clara paused for a moment. "Please get into your groups."

She watched as the class moved about and erupted in noise. She walked over to the whiteboard to get it ready for when the themes were called out. It was Friday afternoon. How else was she meant to keep their attention?


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your reviews and your support over this story. Sorry that this wasn't out yesterday. Kinda had a few things that I needed to do.
> 
> I am going to take another break from posting (surprise, surprise). I want to get back into the routine of planning my stories so that they don't just have a mess of chapters or storylines. So I am going to take at least a month off to get myself sort. I hope to be back in a month but we will see how things work out. Keep an eye on my profile for more details. Also, there will be a change to how I do things. You must know (if you have followed me as an author), I do write and upload two stories side by side. I am no longer going to do this. I am going to focus on one story and then hopefully update every day once I start posting that story. This is all subject to how I am feeling with the writing and all that jazz.
> 
> The next story I am going to post with be a Merlin fanfic but the next Doctor Who one will be the next in this series. That is if you still want more from this series. Just keep an eye on my profile really.
> 
> Please enjoy this last chapter
> 
> Next story: New Man, Fandom: Merlin, Publishing: TBC

**Chapter 20**

Clara was slightly shocked to see the Doctor standing at the bottom of the stairs as she walked down them after getting ready. She knew that was she was wearing was nothing flash but Danny said that it was low-key. But there was something about the Doctor, seemingly seeing her off that she found sweet about him. She did hope that it wasn't because he was being overprotective again.

"Should you really be on your ankle?"

He huffed. "Idris would make it like I have broken every bone in my body. She would have me in bed all day. Clara, I am not one of those people that can just sit around all day. It is just a broken ankle. But probably not."

"So you are just seeing me off?"

"I would have said that you could have used the Anglia but I suspect that you might be drinking. It is a police vehicle after all. Plus the taxi has already arrived." He paused for a few moments. "You look beautiful."

She smiled at him. She took the compliment but she had enjoyed this weird teasing sort of thing that they had got going on.

"You don't have to say that. I know that you don't notice that sort of thing."

The way at he smiled at her allowed her to know that he hadn't taken any offence at her comment.

"I would still like to check Danny out."

"In your wildest dreams."

"You probably shouldn't let your taxi wait any longer."

She didn't particularly know what came over her as she leant forward and kissed the Doctor's cheek. Maybe it was just because they were the same height for once or whether she just wanted to let him know that she did feel something for him. She knew that the weird mix of feelings that she had for the Doctor and Danny would eventually become a problem but she hoped that the longer they stayed apart, the better. She might actually be able to work out what she is feeling for them both.

"Have a good date." He said as she passed him.

"I will." She stopped just before she closed the door to the TARDIS. "I do plan on coming back to the TARDIS, but I will text you if my plans change."

"Wherever the night takes you."

"Yeah," Clara said, knowing that she wanted to come back to the TARDIS.

* * *

The date was rather low-key but for Clara, it was the best way to end the week. A bottle of wine and a curry with good company. She knew that if she was back in the TARDIS, she would be sitting in the companion bedroom, writing up the latest adventure. Probably still with a bottle of wine. A quiet night in.

The restaurant wasn't far from Danny's and afterwards, they made their way back to his afterwards. With another bottle of wine open, they sat down to talk more.

"You know teaching isn't the right job to find anyone," Clara commented.

"And the army was any better. If I didn't choose to teach, I wouldn't have met you."

It was a cute little comment that she didn't really know how to reply to.

"Why did you leave the army?"

Danny gave her a blank look for a little while. "I just didn't think that I belonged there any more."

"And out of every other job in the world, you chose to teach?" She asked, trying to steer away from the had moved them onto. It seemed like he didn't want to talk about and she wasn't going to push it. He would tell her in his own time.

"Why not? I always wanted a teacher to inspire me to do something. I may have not had the best time growing up and I just wished that I left school with better grades and not thinking that the army or working in some shop was my only options."

"I would think that it would take a lot of courage to join the army. You would have to have your mind set on it. You are putting your life on the line."

"I suppose." He cleared his throat. "You can stay if you want."

And there was the choice. Spend the night with Danny or go back to the TARDIS to be with the Doctor? It shouldn't have been a hard choice but there was a part of her that wondered why she chose what she did.

* * *

"Did it not go well?"

Clara looked up to see the Doctor standing in the kitchen, spoon in hand and the ice cream tub on the counter.

"Yeah, it went well. Why are you eating ice cream?"

"I think she is trying to kill me."

"Why would Idris try and kill you?"

"You didn't see what was for dinner. It looked nice but she had covered it in this thing. Apparently, it was to help bone growth. Whatever it was, it was horrible. I waited for her to go off and do whatever she did all night so I could have something decent to eat."

She walked over to him and plucked the spoon out of his hand before taking a spoonful for herself.

"So?"

"So what?" She said.

"So, you said it went well but you are here."

"I have a stack of marking to do and my little companion novel for our last adventure and seemingly stopping Idris from killing you. I just didn't feel up for staying over, that's all."

"You don't have to use me as an excuse to not have fun."

"I want to come back to the TARDIS."

Clara knew that in a movie, they would have their moment now and the Doctor would kiss her and pick her up and place her on the counter. Her mind rushed with the thought of what type of kisser he would be and all that came with that. Just their moment was ruined with someone clearing their throat.

They both turned to see Idris standing in the doorway.

"Do I have to treat you both like children?" She said.

"Maybe you shouldn't try and poison me." The Doctor said.

Clara couldn't really believe that the exchange in front of her was happening. She put the ice cream away before quickly washing up the spoon and placing it back in the drawer. She picked up the Doctor's crutches.

"Come on. I think it is bed for all of us."

The Doctor thought about it for a moment before he took the crutches and starting to walk over. He huffed as he passed Idris. Clara smiled at her before heading the same way.

In all honesty, she was looking forward to bed.

* * *

**Epilogue**

I need to sort myself out.

I need to sort out what I feel for Danny and the Doctor and I need to sort out a balance between my life with the Doctor and my normal life. I want this to work so badly and I am sure that it will work. As long as Danny and the Doctor don't meet, I think I will be fine.

It might just be a bit of trial and error on my part.

* * *

Clara closed the book as the Doctor came into the room. He was ranting about how they hadn't taken him off the crutches and just replastered his ankle and given him a stupid boot to 'apparently' speed up recovery. He noticed the book in her hands.

"Have you only just finished writing that?"

"Yeah, took a little longer. I was kinda doing it in between marking essays. I would mark a few and then write for a few minutes. And no. You can read it when I am gone."

"What did you call it this time?"

"I haven't come up with that yet."

"How about A Restaurant Not for Us?"

"I suppose it was. I will make the spine cover later." She smiled up at him. "Got a date yet for it to all come off?"

"I've got to go back in three weeks for them to see what progress has been made. Clara, they are talking that I might need a walking stick for a bit. Like I am some old man."

Clara laughed. "I suppose you aren't there just yet."

"What do you mean?"

She would have called him a silver fox but she knew that it would mean that she would have to explain what she meant by that.

"Young at heart. That is you."

She could tell that he was confused but maybe had got what she was on about. Idris called their ten-minute warning before lunch was ready and Clara stood so she could take her companion novel up to the room. It needed to go into its rightful place on the bookshelf.

She felt a little grateful that the next investigation might not be for a while yet. Hopefully, a few smaller ones would help her to get her work-life balance correct. Even though she couldn't wait for the next one.


End file.
